Vacuum-head for cotton-picking machines.



W. K. DANA. VACUUM HEAD FOR COTTON PIGKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1913. I

Patented! Feb. 17, 19M.

ms'msm M Mr ' cotton fibers are held.

"bl-1TB S WOODBURY K. DANA, 0F WESTBROO'K,

MAINE.

VACUUM-HEAD FOR COTTON-PICKING MACHINES.

Application filed June as 1913.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. it "5, 191

Serial No. 776,259.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Woonmnty K. DANA,

of WVesthrook, in the county of. Cumberland and State of Mame, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum- Heads for Cotton-Picking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to vacuum heads for cotton picking machines and it is designed primarily as an'improvement on the vacuum heads described and claimed inmy Patent, No. 1,067,802, dated July 22, 1913, although it is capableof use in other forms of vacuum heads using rotating picking tubes.

The above mentioned head included a cylindrical casing and an independently rotating picking tube within the casing with inclined blades on its inner surface and picking teeth at its outer end. The inrushing air rotated the picking tube and caused the teeth. to engage the fibers oi the cotton twisting them and causing them to free themselves from the bell or capsule in which the They were then drawn inwardly through the picking tube and soon through the suction pipe. Although the above described vacuum head was an eflicient devi'cc there was this diiliculty found in its use when the tibcrs of cot-- ton were seized by the pickiug tecth and twisted, the entire boll was also twisted including' the capsule and the tendency was to twist the boll from its stein. This led to the necessity of holding the capsule with one hand to prevent it from turning while the other hand held the vacuum head.

The object of my invention is to so construct the vacuum head that while the cotton fibers may be seized and twisted to tree them from the capsule the latter will be hcld stationary thus allowing the cotton to tear itself free. I accomplish this object by placing fixed abutments around the mouth of the picking tube against which ahutmcnts the parts of the capsule'will strike ;l they approach the entrance to the picking tube. checking their rotation. and preventing: them from turning. Thus the body of'the boll tends to remain stationary while the cotton fibers are free to twist and thus to free themselves.

My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which one of the picking tubes described in my said application with the attachment covered by my present.- invention applied thereto.

In the drawing. Figure 1 is a longitudiiml section through. the vacuum head, and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same In the d *awing. av is the outertube or casing, 7), the inner or picking tube mminted within the casing on ball bearings which enable it to rotate il'ulependcntl-y ot the casing, 0 0 are the vanes or blades wi bin the picking tube which cause it to rotate as the air and. cotton are drawn in and a? (Z are the picking pins or fingers which. engage with the fibers of the cotton to twist them from the capsule and e is the annular things which surrounds the mouth of the picking tube. The above parts are all common to my above mentioned vacuum head and form no part of the present invention.

For the purpose of preventii' e; the dry capsule from turningnith the cc n filltfIS. I provide a scarics ot-abutmenls which are placed adjacent to the mouth of the picklug tube so that they willbe in position to check the rotation of the capsuic.

The opening in the end of the pickled tube is designed to be about the diameter at the mass of cotton as it proj from the capsule and as the cotton is drawn in the portions of the capsule will extend out far enough to be engaged by the abutments.

As here shown, the abutments are provided in the form of upwardly projecting plates f which .extend radially from the mouth of the picking tube. They may be of any number and these project tar enoitigh outward to catch thecnds of the capsules as the latter are drawn down to the end of the head by the drawing, ot the cotton fibers into the picking tube. The addition of the abutmcnts to the end at my va uum head tends to hold the dry capsules and to prevent them from turning: as the mass of cotton is twisted by the rotation of the picking tube. The cfFect is to release the cotton more freely and quickly from its adhering: capsule than is the case where the latter free to revolve.

\Vith this attachment it is not ordinarily necessary to steady the capsule with the hand to prevent it trom being twisted from its stem and usually it is sutlicient to ap preach the head the open boll cotton is drawn in and pulled out of the cap- I sule, the latter being caught and held by the abutments.

It is evident that these abutnicnts may be i of any desired shape so long as they are positioned to intercept the parts of the capsule and hold them from rotating.

1 claim L A vacuum head for cotton picking machines including an outer casing-an indeplaidently rotatable picking tube Within said outer casing, picking teeth in the end of said piol ing tube, diagonally disposed blades Wi hin said picking tube andifixed abutments at the outer end of the vacuum head adjacent to the mouth of the picking tube for checking the rotation of the husk.

'2. Al vacuum head for cotton picking Inachines including a. casing, a rotating picking tube within said casing through which the air and cotton are drawn, picking teeth in the end of the pickingtube and diagonally disposed blades carried by said picking-tube and fixed abutments at the outer end of the vacuum-head adjacent to the mouth of the picking tubefor checking the rotation of the husk.

A vacuum head for cotton picking machines including a casing, a rotating picking tube within said casing through which the air and cotton are drawn and a series of fixed picking teeth in the end of said picking tube and diagonally disposed blades on its inner surface, outwardly extending abutments surrounding the mouth of the picking tube and radiating therefrom for checking the rotation of the husk. 1

i. Ayaouum head for cotton picking machines including a casing, a rotating pick- I Copies of thls.patent may be obtained for five'eents Washington, D. C. 

